Nine Myrtle Beach Teens Charged After Death of 16-Year-Old Trey Dean Wright

A growing number of teens are facing serious charges after a 16-year-old was fatally shot during a late-night confrontation in Florence County.

Nine individuals from the Myrtle Beach area have now been charged in connection with the June 24, 2025, killing of Trey Dean Wright near Johnsonville. Authorities say the teens acted together in a planned confrontation and are being charged as accomplices under a South Carolina law.

On the night of June 24, at around 11:30 p.m., Wright and 19-year-old Devan Raper of Conway got into a fight that resulted in tragedy on North 1st Neck Road. A day after the shooting, authorities arrested Raper. He has been held in jail without bond on charges of murder and possessing a weapon during a violent crime.

A week after the murder, the victim's girlfriend, 17-year-old Gianna Kistenmacher, was charged as an accessory before the fact because she allegedly brought Wright to the scene knowing that Raper was armed and there could be violence. She was released on bond and ordered to remain in home confinement.

Three more people were arrested in the days following the shooting. Eighteen-year-old Hunter Matthew Kendall has been in custody since July 31 and remains held without bond at the Florence County Detention Center.

Seventeen-year-old Sydney Marissa Kearns was arrested on August 4, and 18-year-old Corrinne Elizabeth Belviso was taken in on August 5. Both were held on $20,000 bonds and were released on August 6.

All three face a murder charge, though authorities have not released details about their specific roles in the killing. They have already appeared before the Effingham Magistrate Court.

Belviso and Kendall have another court hearing set for September 17 in Florence County Circuit Court, according to online records. However, no court information for Kearns has been released.

Furthermore, authorities have not released the names of four other suspects, some of whom are juveniles. Major Michael Nunn of the Florence County Sheriff's Office said a tenth suspect is expected to surrender soon.

Based on most of the arrest warrants, these individuals were considered "complicit" in bringing Raper to the scene, knowing violence was a possibility. He had allegedly already threatened the victim. Regardless, authorities did not decide to charge all of these people lightly.

"The decision was made, again with investigators, in consultation with the solicitor's office to charge each of them with murder," Nunn said. "The hand of one being the hand of all is part of South Carolina law as well, so that's the basis of the charge for each of those individuals."

Ethan Kirby, a close friend of Wright’s, told a news outlet that the victim had been his best friend since they were nine years old. He added that he had only recently met the other teens involved and felt no connection to them.

Other friends of Wright claimed that the group of teens just stood by and observed the crime as it happened. Meanwhile, Sheriff TJ Joye confirmed the dispute was over a girl and said the entire incident was caught on video.

"This was an altercation between two people. It's not like I'm just going to go to Johnsonville and shoot somebody," he explained. "They had issues with each other and it was over a female. The sad thing is, you got a 16-year-old that lost his life [sic]. You've got a 19-year-old who is going to be in jail the rest of his life. Over what?"

While some of the suspects' relatives have refused to comment, a few of Belviso's neighbors told News13 that the incident did not come as a surprise. One neighbor, Michael Vanglahn, pointed to the people Belviso surrounded herself with and those her mother allowed into their environment.

Another neighbor claimed to have had trouble with Belviso and her family, particularly over loud music at all hours of the night.

Despite the arrests, the victim's family has been left to grapple with this tragedy. A GoFundMe campaign, created by Keira Husfeldt on behalf of Kirby, was launched to help cover funeral expenses and other costs. The fundraiser collected more than $6,000 before it closed.

The description stated that Wright was "a kind soul who touched so many lives." Meanwhile, the teen's obituary explained that he was a "rising sophomore" who played on the football and baseball varsity teams at Johnsonville High School.

Wright also loved being outdoors, especially on a dirt bike, and was known for making people laugh. The website named his surviving family members and those who preceded him in death. It also explained that a celebration of life was held back on July 3 at his high school.